Compiled by SEMA Editors
 Will Philippin |
Edelbrock Hires Performance System Pro for Newly Created Position of Crate Engine Product Manager
Edelbrock has appointed William Philippin as its new product manager for crate engines. In his new position, Philippin is responsible for product planning and execution throughout the crate engine lifecycle, including gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, defining the crate engine product vision and working closely with engineering, sales, marketing and support to ensure revenue goals are met and customer satisfaction is achieved. Philippin has extensive powertrain and crate engine experience, including developing program timing, business cases and proposals for new crate engine projects based on trends and competitive benchmarking. He was also involved with designing and releasing vehicle engine accessories from concept to the customers’ hands, directing aftermarket and production suppliers to execute performance parts programs to meet product goals and more. Philippin also supported customer-facing and motorsports events, such as NHRA Nationals, Hot Rod Power Tour, Woodward Dreamcruise, Autorama, the SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show. For the last nine years, Philippin worked at General Motors, where he held several increasingly responsible positions culminating in his last position of performance parts crate engine product manager.
Mahindra Automotive North America Announces Personnel Change
After helping to establish Mahindra Automotive North America and being instrumental in developing a multinational powersports sales and service dealer network for the launch of the Mahindra ROXOR off-road vehicle, Luc De Gaspe Beaubien has elected to leave his position as vice president of business development to pursue other interests. Beaubien was a part of the senior management team at Mahindra Automotive North America and has held multiple senior positions over the years.
Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative Steadfast in Public Land Conservation
Yamaha Motor Corp. USA and its Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI) program continues building meaningful partnerships with leading local and national outdoor recreation and land stewardship organizations across the United States with recent grants from the first half of 2020. Yamaha’s latest OAI grants support a wide range of outdoor recreation projects, from OHV staging area maintenance and infrastructure development, to trail rehabilitation, signage and mapping. National collaborations focus largely on land stewardship programs and outdoor recreation education, promoting the benefits and diversity of outdoor experiences to families and youth across the country. The first and second quarter 2020 Yamaha OAI grants totaling more than $155,000 were awarded to the following organizations:
- The Great Outdoors Fund, Washington, D.C. (Kisatchi National Forest, Louisiana)
- North Country ATV, New Stratford, New Hampshire
- Indian Creek Valley ATV Club, Indian Head, Pennsylvania
- Lake County Department of Forestry, Lake County, Minnesota
- National Hunting and Fishing Day
- Northwest Motorcycle Association, Washington State
- Ravalli County Off Road User Association (RCORUA), Hamilton, Montana
- Ride with Respect, Moab, Utah
- Southern California Mountain Foundation, San Bernardino, California
- TreadLightly!, Inc., Centerville, Utah
- Upper Peninsula Recreational Off-Road ATV Riders, Kingsford, Michigan
For more than 10 years now, Yamaha has been issuing quarterly grants to non-profit organizations supporting the program’s mission. To date, the program has contributed more than $4.25 million in aid to more than 370 projects across the nation. Yamaha’s OAI-supported efforts work to improve access to public land for outdoor activities including riding, hiking, biking, camping, hunting, fishing and motorized recreation. The 2020 Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative application schedule, submission guidelines and application forms are available at www.yamahaoai.com.
Riley Technologies Acquires Kar-Kraft, Set to Build Mk IV Continuation Cars
Riley Technologies—owned by father-and-son design and engineering team Bob Riley and Bill Riley—along with Jim Matthews, have acquired the assets of original Ford GT40 Mk IV constructor Kar-Kraft. Kar-Kraft assets have been delivered to Riley Technologies’ multi-disciplined engineering and manufacturing facility in Mooresville, North Carolina, where the Riley team will engineer and construct the next generation of the American-made sports prototype race cars. According to published reports, initial plans include a production run of up to 10 period-current Mk IV continuation cars, with a projected 2022 release date. Tooling, fixtures, and original design drawings—some with Bob Riley's name—were among the acquired assets.
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